A Christmas Wish
by The Silver Phoenix
Summary: As Richard spends more time on his work and less time with his family, his marriage to Kori slowly begins to falls apart. But maybe, just maybe, their son Bruce can help make this Christmas special and make things right again. Kori/Richard
1. Part I

**A Christmas Wish**

By **The Silver Phoenix**

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Summary:** As Richard spends more time on his work and less time with his family, Kori and Richard's marriage begins to falls apart... But maybe their son Bruce can help make this Christmas special and make things right again… KorixRich 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Teen Titans or any other copyrighted characters.

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Dedication

_This fanfic is dedicated to all my readers/reviewers/fans. An early Merry Christmas & a very Happy New Year!_

—The Silver Phoenix

_P.S. Robin & Starfire forever!!! And Beast Boy & Raven too!!!_

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**Part I **

It was Christmas Eve, and Jump City was adorned with a multitude of festive decorations and Christmas lights—a million bright pinpoints of light like fireflies in a city that never slept. A thin layer of fresh snow dusted the photogenic metropolis, and a few white flakes fell slowly, dancing in the wind. Christmas carols and church bells could be heard ringing in the frosty night air.

Yet all was quiet in Jump City's upper-class South Harbour district. A generally quiet neighbourhood, it was even quieter tonight, as families were reunited in the celebration of Christmas, each in their respective homes. Inside one particular glamorous beachfront mansion, however, it was dark; children were in bed, awaiting the dawn of the next day and the joys it would bring…

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A strip of light from the hallway outside fell through the open doorway, casting faint light on the toys and model trains that were strewn haphazardly all around the cosy bedroom; a bookshelf filled with colourful storybooks was shrouded with darkness. Kori Grayson drew the curtains shut against the Christmassy scenes that played outside: a young boy riding on his father's shoulders; a couple holding hands; a teenager buying a present for his girlfriend. 

Kori heaved a sigh, her warm breath misting up the freezing windowpane—those images were simply painful reminders of the happiness she didn't have. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she carefully tucked the bedcovers tightly around her four-year-old son, Bruce Richard Grayson. Then, gently and lovingly, she smoothed back messy ebony locks of hair away from his forehead.

"Where's Daddy?" Bruce demanded, eyes flaming blue-green. From birth, it had been evident that, apart from his unique blue-green eyes, young Bruce was an identical replica of his father, complete with messy black hair, flaring temper, pride and stubbornness. Another four reasons to love Robin—or Richard Grayson, as he was now called—Kori thought. These traits were common enough in Tamaranian men, but… when it came to Robin, she found them altogether more attractive. Although, of course, she loved him most when he was kind to her. Kindness was not a Tamaranian notion—there was love in her culture, but kindness was something she had acquired from living on Earth. Robin had always been kind to her, and Kori found it hard to remember a time when Robin had not been there to show her kindness and to offer his friendship... unless he was preoccupied with work. She had known him for so long—almost 14 years now—and they had been married for five of those years.

Everyone said they were the perfect family, with two beautiful and adorable children, Bruce and Mar'i. Young and deeply in love, everyone agreed that Robin and Starfire were simply perfect for each other. They had started as best friends, then they started dating… and when they announced their engagement after Richard completed university, it came as no surprise. Kori, as Princess of Tamaran, had to abdicate her royal status in order to marry an Earthling, yet she had accepted without hesitation, leaving Tamaran in the capable hands of her brother King Ryand'r, simply because she loved Robin too much to let anything stand in her way.

But _were_ they such a perfect family? Kori often asked herself. There were secrets lurking behind the picture-perfect smiles of the picture-perfect family preserved in photographs. Things that other people didn't see. Kori sometimes found it hard to believe that she and Richard were actually _married_, much less that he was a husband and a father. Most of the time, he was far too absorbed in his work for trivial "family matters". On most days, the only attention that she and the children received would be, at most, a quick kiss and a vague "I love you". Richard was still doing superhero work when Kori went to bed at night, and he was never there when she woke up in the morning.

They were supposed to be a _family_; they were supposed to spend time together. Kori recalled what Richard had said when they'd discussed the subject of family and children: _"After my parents died, I vowed that if I ever got married and had kids, they'd never have to grow up the way I did—they'd never have to learn to grow up the hard way. I promised myself I'd always be there for them, no matter what. Kori, I don't want our children to have to go through what both of us have been through. I want them to have a proper family… loving and caring parents. I want them to remember when they grow up that their parents were always there for them, no matter what." _

Yet Richard was valuing work above his family, just like he used to value work above his friends when they were still Titans… and there wasn't much Kori could do about it. She already knew from bitter experience what would happen if she disturbed his work. Kori saw the pearly tears in their daughter Mar'i's turquoise eyes when he said he didn't have time to play games with her; she saw the hurt, angry look in Bruce's proud, fierce eyes when Richard only cast a brief look at his son's latest drawing before going to work. It broke her heart to see those things happen, and it hurt even more knowing that there was nothing she could do.

"Daddy is… busy, Bruce," Kori said gently, ruffling her son's unruly dark hair. It was the answer she always gave the children, increasingly frequently in the past few months, so that they were almost used to it now.

"Is Santa Claus coming, Mommy?" Bruce changed his mind; even he knew by now there was no point in inquiring after his father's activities. Daddy wasn't coming to say goodnight to him, to tuck him in tonight. That was that. But Santa Claus would give him presents tonight, if he was a good boy.

"He'll come if you've been a good boy this year, Bruce."

Bruce pouted. "Is he coming?"

"I hope so," Kori smiled. "I love you, Bruce."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Kori bent down to plant a soft kiss on her son's forehead, her emerald gaze firmly holding her son's for a moment. She saw the hope, displayed so clearly and evidently in his wide blue-green eyes, azure and sea-green mixed together. It was a unique colour—a colour mixed on the palette of love, painted with Richard's and her own love. It reminded her of the infinitely strong bond she shared with Richard… a broken bond that needed to be fixed before it was too late. In that instant of realisation, Kori felt her heart being torn apart, knowing that her son's one true wish for Christmas was about to be shattered.

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Kori lay, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She had fiercely willed sleep to take her into its embrace, to drift off on that tide of pleasant dreams… but all in vain. Sleep simply refused to come calm her troubled thoughts. Though the soft, rhythmic lullaby of the waves breaking on the beach would usually send her into a deep sleep, tonight the city lights still shone brightly—too brightly—from between partially-drawn curtains, constantly keeping her awake. 

That wasn't the only thing keeping her awake either. There was also the fact that Richard still hadn't come to bed, although it was almost 2 a.m.

Kori turned over on the large, empty bed once again, drawing the covers tight up to her chin, head resting on the soft pillow—she had eventually learned to accept the strange way in which Earthlings slept. Her emerald eyes wandered around the spacious bedroom; most of the walls were taken up by three large floor-length windows that opened out onto a large balcony overlooking the city, the beach and the bay. A little way out to sea, stormy winter waves lapped against a little rocky island, upon which stood the old Titans Tower—now a museum dedicated to the former superheroes—an earlier snowfall dusting its rooftop with a thin sprinkling of snow, glinting in the moonlight like icing atop a T-shaped cake. Beyond that was the bay bridge, flowing like a concrete ribbon in the darkness.

Kori's gaze scanned over the rest of the room, which was mostly cloaked in darkness. The furniture flung strange shadows across the walls, which were decorated with numerous framed pictures—photographs of the Titans, of Bruce and Mar'i… pictures of herself and Richard.

**_Flashback_ **

_Kori quietly hummed a Tamaranian lullaby to her three-month-old son, Bruce, and gently kissed his forehead as she set him down in his cradle. Quietly closing the door behind her, she floated downstairs, joy fuelling her powers as she heard the sound of a car pull up in the driveway—_Richard is coming home_, she thought with excited anticipation. _

_When she reached the hall, Richard had just staggered inside the front door, struggling with three parcels. Kori quickly rushed to his side to relieve him of his burden, carefully setting them down on a table. She inspected them with curiosity—there were three altogether, two large and one small, all wrapped up carefully with shiny wrapping paper and silk ribbons. Richard smiled at her inquisitiveness. While she was investigating the boxes, he quietly sneaked up behind her, catching her in an embrace from behind._

_Kori gasped in surprised delight as his arms enclosed around her waist, pulling her closer towards him. "Richard…" _

"_Hmm…?" he smiled, starting to nibble on her ear. _

_Blushing, she tugged at his arms, pushing him away. "Not… here…" she mumbled. "People can… see…" she gasped as he continued to lay gentle, affectionate kisses along her neck. His kisses became more demanding, his lips slowly finding their way towards hers. It was almost too much for her. Kori's breath came in erratic gasps, punctuated with moans of pleasure, and she was sure that her violently hammering heart would leap out from her ribcage if he kept up this pleasurable torture any longer. _

"_Let them see," he declared defiantly, recklessly, kissing her still more fervently. _

"_Richard!" she broke free from his grasp. "_Please._ Not now. Later," she added apologetically, seeing Richard's disappointment. Kori turned her attention back to the parcels, momentarily forgotten in Richard's hasty display of affection. At a nod from Richard she began to unwrap the boxes to reveal... two large boxes of chocolates and a small jewellery box containing a beautifully crafted silver necklace with a pearl pendant. For a moment, she was rendered speechless. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes; he was showering her with these wondrous gifts and what she wanted most of all—his attention. It was all so sweet, so romantic… and he was doing it was all for _her._ "Richard… you really should not be 'spoiling' me…" _

_He smirked in response, "You deserve to be spoilt, Princess." _

"_But… I am not a princess anymore," she pointed out, puzzled. _

_Richard shrugged. Delicately, he picked up the necklace from its velvet setting. He reached around her neck to fasten it, stealing a light kiss on her lips as he did so, and whispering hotly in her ear, "You'll always be _my _princess, Kori…" _

**_End Flashback_ **

As she painfully recalled the memory, Kori felt hot tears sting her eyes and flow down her cheeks—tears shed over lost time, lost love, lost happiness… These were not the first tears she had shed over Richard. Countless times in the past few months she had lain all alone in the wide, empty bed, wrapped in cold sheets, crying, wishing he was here; his body to warm hers, his love to mend her shattered heart. When she awoke from a nightmare-plagued sleep in the morning to find an empty bed, she knew that he had spent the night in his office downstairs, having fallen asleep at his desk. Richard had given her more joy but also caused her more sorrow than everyone else put together… and through it all, she still loved him more than she had ever loved anyone, even if he didn't return her love anymore. She knew she shouldn't love him like this, it was killing her inside… but she couldn't help it.

Abruptly, Kori sat up in bed, flinging aside the covers. Donning a warm dressing gown over her silk nightdress, she fiercely brushed away the tears staining her cheeks. Slipping on a pair of thick slippers, she swept out of the empty bedroom, feeling the people in the photographs staring at her as she departed. Outside, the city lights winked mockingly, as if in defiance of her mission, as if challenging her. But Kori had already made up her mind.

She was going to talk to Richard.

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**A/N- **Two words: review please! 


	2. Part II

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Teen Titans or any other copyrighted characters.

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Part II

_**Flashback**_

_The young boy glared sulkily at the dark figure, no more than a shadow hidden by the wing of a stone gargoyle, blanketed by a thin dusting of snow. The average bystander would have missed the human shape nestled among the shadows, but this boy was no average bystander. His sharp blue eyes, concealed behind a bland white mask, were clearly fixated upon the tall, brooding cloaked figure of the Dark Knight. To Gotham City, he was the Batman. But to the young boy, the man was his mentor and his teacher, his friend and the older brother he never had._

"_This is ridiculous, Bruce," the boy spoke up at last, voice sullen. "It's Christmas Eve. We should be at home. Leave the crime fighting to the police force for one night."_

_The taller figure's masked face was illuminated briefly as he stepped closer to the edge of the roof, and light from the street below was thrown onto his grim face. "For one, crime rates are higher on Christmas Eve than usual, not to mention Gotham's police force is more corrupt than usual. Besides, heroes do not celebrate or simply take days off. I thought I taught you that, Dick."_

_Richard "Dick" Grayson cringed inwardly at the use of the nickname. His parents never called him that… usually Richard, or 'little Robin', as his mother nicknamed him, but never 'Dick'. His parents… Dick pushed the thought to the back of his head, but not before a single tear had trickled down his cheek. He brushed it away quickly, hoping Batman hadn't seen it. _They're dead, _he told himself firmly, though every time it hurt to admit it, like a permanent scar on his soul,_ Just stop thinking about them_. "But, Bruce, we haven't come across a single criminal or crime the whole evening. Can we _go_?" he persisted, like a little child pleading for ice cream, but knowing the answer before the question fully left his lips._

_Only the silence replied. _No, no, no, _the wind whistled mockingly._

_Dick sighed. "OK, OK. Fine," he grumbled. _I should've known better. I'm talking to a plank of wood. _"I just thought… since it was Christmas…" He stared longingly at the streets below—families, wrapped in layers of warm clothing, talked and laughed together. Dick subconsciously hummed along to fragments of Christmas carols that drifted upwards from the friendly-looking neighbourhood below, lit by warm yellow lamplight and strings of blinking fairy lights._

"_If we catch one villain tonight," Bruce said suddenly, "then one more person would be able to wake up happily tomorrow and experience the joys of Christmas. It may not seem like much to you, but it would mean the world to that one person." There was a hidden emotion in his voice that Dick couldn't quite place. "It's what heroes do—they sacrifice their own happiness so that others can live in happiness."_

"_Yeah, I know. But… you know, shouldn't we get some kind of reward or something?" Dick asked quietly, half to himself._

"_You'll learn to appreciate things when you're older." _

"_You mean old, like you."_

"_With age comes experience, Dick."_

"_Experience in what?" Dick retorted bitterly._

"_You'll see when the time comes," Batman answered enigmatically, evading Dick's question. "But trust me; you'll learn to like it… eventually."_

"_That's what you said about my Robin costume." He pulled a face. "I _swear_, Bruce, I've been walking around looking like a Christmas tree for three _years_. Honestly… red, green and yellow? Why can't I get black?"_

"_Green suits you."_

_Dick frowned. "Whatever. I don't _like_ spandex. It's so _stupid_."_

_For a split-second, a hint of what might have been a smile flashed across Batman's face. "Hmm… Christmas tree, eh?" Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Well it _is_ Christmas, Dick. You fit in perfectly."_

"Bruce._" The boy scowled. It just… didn't seem _fair_ that he had to be the one who gave up his happiness just to see happiness on the faces of others. But maybe Bruce was right. Maybe, one day, he'd learn to like it. Just not now._

"_Life isn't fair, Dick," Batman said, reading his mind. "Appreciate what you have." It sounded more like, _Appreciate what you have left. _With that, he swung down from the rooftop and landed lithely in a dark alleyway. The boy quickly followed suit, touching down noiselessly, dark cloak flapping around his shoulders. He followed his mentor down a dark side alley, and they stopped in front of an apartment block, the windows dark and empty._

"_See?" Dick grumbled, "Everyone's gone out—" a hand clamped down on his mouth, and he felt a gun barrel pressed against the side of his head, the cold steel pressing mercilessly against his temple. His arms were twisted painfully behind his back, and he suppressed a cry. Out of the corner of his eye, Dick noticed Batman, slowly inching behind him. __The young boy tried to breathe in, out, calmly, and remembered all the training sessions he'd ever had, every lecture he'd ever sat through. He knew Batman's policy with guns. _Rule Number One_, Batman had told him flat-out at the very beginning,_ NO GUNS

_Unfortunately, most criminals didn't appear to share that opinion. __Dick closed his eyes; his reflexes were sharper than ever, senses honed to perfection. After two years of training… this was what it all led up to. His first real test as Batman's sidekick. For the moment, he wasn't eleven-year-old Richard Grayson anymore, he was… Robin, saviour of Gotham City. Dick weighed his chances—not something easily done with a gun held threateningly against one's head. He could almost imagine what would happen if the trigger was pulled. Not a pleasant thought._

_But he was trained to think quickly and sharply under pressure… although no amount of training could have prepared him for this, his first real, life-threatening situation._

_If he kicked back now, knocking his captor in the stomach or the groin… would the man drop the gun, or would he shoot? And what if the guy avoided the blow? What was the worst-case scenario? Dick quickly summarised the possibilities: _I kick and shove the guy… I miss or he sidesteps… I end up falling backwards… he shoots… the bullet goes inside my head, I die straightaway. Painlessly quick, maybe. Or maybe very, very painful if I'm unlucky.

_Either way… not good._

_There was a sharp _'clang'_ of metal on metal as a bat-a-rang hit the gun and whisked it out of the criminal's hand. Seizing his chance, Dick wrenched himself free of the crook's iron grasp and with a kick from his boot sent the gun skidding across the icy concrete, far out of the man's grasp. Wincing slightly, Dick kicked the man in the stomach, extracting a loud cry as the wind was knocked from the villain. The man instantly fell backwards onto Batman, who was waiting expectantly and expertly wrestled the offender's wrists into a pair of handcuffs._

_Dick flexed his arms experimentally, just to make sure that no bones had been broken, no tendons or ligaments torn, in the twisting process. He stared at the incredible Batman in action, feeling helpless and guilty. Helpless because he was still a novice beside Batman, whom he admired greatly. No matter how good he grew to be, he would never be as good as Batman. Batman was Batman… and who was Dick? Just some kid in a spandex suit pretending to be a superhero. Pretending and failing miserably. He also felt guilty because he had not been vigilant enough to have spotted the crook. Dick sensed that his mentor was more than just a little displeased and jogged to keep up with Batman as they strode away, leaving the crook tied up. "I'm sorry…" Dick began apologetically, knowing a lengthy lecture was sure to follow; a lecture on the dangers of guns, on how his life had hung in the balance due to his carelessness and lack of attention, blah blah blah……_

_Much to Dick's surprise, his mentor waved off the apology. "No, I should be sorry." He turned around and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, saying, not unkindly, "You were right. You're only a kid, and before you know it, you'll be all grown-up. Go home, Dick. Watch a movie with Alfred or something. Wait for Santa Claus. Enjoy yourself for one night."_

"_Wow, the infamous Batman's going soft." Dick could not resist smirking._

"_Wipe that smile off your face. You're just growing to be more like me." At those surprising words, Dick stared up into Batman's face, shockingly haggard. For the first time, he saw the thirty-something-year-old man behind the mask, weighed down with the pressure of saving the city on a daily basis, and the fatigue of leading a double-life. The man had a lot on his shoulders, and the weariness had begun to show in the wrinkled brow and the crow's feet that he hid behind the mask. Like everyone else, Bruce was slowly wearing away at the merciless hands of Time. Dick suddenly felt a pang of sympathy; Batman had obviously endured a lot more than he let everyone—including his apprentice—know. Perhaps all the strictness and the lack of emotion were simply side-effects. Dick didn't blame him. In fact, for the first time, he actually sympathised with the man he respected the most._

"_So, is that a compliment?" Dick ventured._

_Batman's eyes narrowed, and all emotion disappeared from his face. The man that stared back at Dick was no longer Bruce Wayne, but Batman—the legend, the hero. "Are you going or not, Dick? There's a city full of criminals waiting for me out there, and you'll miss Santa Claus if you keep loitering around here."_

_Dick sighed, exasperated. "Bruce… you know I don't believe in Santa."_

_Another trace of a smile appeared, but only briefly. "I'll take that as, 'Yeah, I'm coming with you. Now will you _please_ get going? It's embarrassing enough that I have to take orders from a guy who thinks a Speedo is a fashion statement; I don't want people to actually _see_ me within five miles of that weirdo.'"_

"_What—?! Hey, I never said that!" Dick cried indignantly, watching Batman scaling up the side of a building using just a grappling hook._

"_That doesn't mean you're not thinking it." Batman was already waiting at the top. As his protégé scrambled rather ungracefully up onto the slippery, icy concrete, the Dark Knight had already disappeared onto the next rooftop, a shadow lost in the swirling fog of snow that fell all around them._

_**End Flashback**_

Richard sighed in frustration as, once again, the security cameras showed no sign whatsoever of any criminal activity on the streets. Maybe the criminals _were_ taking a night off. He blinked; cerulean blue eyes were strained from staring continually at the computer screen, and there were dark rings beneath his eyes—evidence that he had been deprived of sleep in the last few weeks. A small part of his fatigued brain reminded him that _he_ should be taking a day off too. _When was the last time you had a holiday? _it asked in an annoying way, knowing it had a valid point to make. _It's Christmas,_ another voice adjoined, coaxing persuasively, _Weren't _you _the one who was always complaining about superheroes not having a day off? Go on, go play with the kids, spend some time with Kori… you know you miss her…_

_No_, he shook his head to clear his mind, draining another espresso. The bitter beverage brought Richard back to his senses and temporarily warded off another wave of exhaustion that washed over his weary body. His limbs ached from sitting in the same position for hours; he had a cramp in his neck, and his brain simply refused to concentrate. Richard stared down at the heavily scribbled-upon scrap of paper and tried to make sense of the congested, scrawled handwriting. He'd been working for six hours non-stop already... if only he could just go to sleep, wake up and start afresh…

An abrupt knock on the door once again shook all thoughts of sleep from Richard's mind. Irritated, he wondered who would be disturbing his work at this hour. Kori and the children should all be asleep by now… and there was no one else in the house. But he had _told _them, time and time again, not to disturb his work. Sighing with anger and frustration, Richard ventilated his anger by viciously throwing a pencil at the desk, and went to open the door.

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**A/N- **OK, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter. I really hope you enjoyed this one, and don't forget to review, please! I know there wasn't too much happening here, and maybe the Batman flashback was kinda boring for you, but... well, I thought it was important to cover Richard's side of the story too. 

Constructive criticism is welcome as always, but no flaming!


	3. Part III

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Teen Titans or any other copyrighted characters.

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Part III

"Richard…?" Kori took a step back as the door opened a crack; she hadn't expected him to actually _answer_—the door slamming in her face was more of the customary greeting these days. But her hope was short-lived as she caught a glimpse of Richard's irritated face, and she faltered.

When Richard saw her, his annoyed expression softened slightly. "Kori…" his voice still held a bit of an edge as if he was scolding her, but it was softer tonight, as if he didn't have energy left to spend on anger. His face, pale and weary, was a telltale sign of fatigue. "I told you I'd be working late tonight. Go to bed, don't wait for me." He made to close the door, but Kori quickly seized her only chance.

"Richard, _please… _can we talk?" she ventured hesitantly, expecting a snappy response in the negative.

And then Richard blinked; finally, he looked directly at her and saw her face, pale in contrast to the dimness inside the room. But more importantly, he saw her tear-stained cheeks, her eyes swollen with crying. Looking more worried now, he opened the door wider and at last allowed her entry. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked, pulling a chair out for her.

Kori remained standing up, shaking her head. She had forgotten how emotionless he could be at times, but… why were Earth males simply so… _dense_?!? Her heart had slowly been torn to shreds over the past few weeks, months. She was _dying_ inside; without love, she was a flower fading slowly from the world, a flower whose petals bled tears of blood… and yet _he_ remained so _oblivious_ to all her pain, all her suffering, all her tears. "What's wrong?!" she repeated angrily, "What is _wrong_? Can you not _see_ what is wrong?" she retorted in a flash of fury. "_You_ clearly are not making _any_ effort to display affection towards your loved ones… _especially _not on _this_ day," she paused to poke him sharply, "an Earthling celebration of _love_ and _joy. _And you still ask _m__e _what is _wrong_? What is wrong with _you_?"

"Star…" Richard began again, his eyes betraying dismay and regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"You did not mean to ignore me and _our_ children? You did not _mean_ to refuse to play with Mar'i? You did not _mean_ to refuse to spend time with your son? You did not _mean_ to deprive him of a goodnight kiss, _because you were too busy with your 'work'?_" Kori concluded impatiently for him. "Do you not _understand?_" She was almost shouting now, something she hardly ever did, and definitely not with Richard. Hot tears erupted from her flaming jade eyes. With every tear that fell, Richard felt as if he was suffering sharp blows to his heart. Of course he cared for her, and for the children… he cared for them more than words could express. Why couldn't _she_ see that?

"Then perhaps… do you love... someone else... another woman?" Kori had never brought herself to face the possibility before, and she felt a sharp pang of fear stab at her heart as Richard opened his mouth to say something. Quickly, she averted her eyes so that he couldn't see the tears. "I could understand if—"

"Don't… don't say that, Kori," he snapped shakily and when she turned around, Kori could clearly see the fear in his wide eyes. His voice and expression softened, "Of course I love you. You're the only one, Kori. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else…" Richard reached out, longing to hold her close, longing to kiss away her tears, but she shrank away from him, turning away.

"Richard, we cannot keep on doing this. It's not fair to you and me, and Bruce and Mar'i… Think of the children. They need their father, they need _you_. _I _need you. You know I love you, Richard. But if you proclaim the same, then you… must prove it. I once thought we would be happy together, but… if you… are not… if you do not love me as I love you, then perhaps… we should… just…" Kori couldn't finish the sentence; she felt as if saying the very words would bring to reality what was too terrible for her to even imagine, "…perhaps it would be best for both of us, if… we..."

"Stop it, Kori! Stop saying things like that!" Richard interrupted, on the verge of shouting. "Don't say that! I don't want us to… be separate. I won't let it happen."

Through the blur of tears, Kori saw his thoughts flickering across his face, emotions dancing in his expressive deep blue eyes. She willed him to say something—anything was better than this tormenting silence. Anything was better than the doubt, than not knowing what he really felt, not knowing what was truly in his heart. Just as Kori was beginning to regret her sudden outburst of anger and emotion, Richard sighed heavily and buried his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. Surprised, she gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He whispered, "Oh, Star… Kori… what have I done?"

Kori felt a lump form in her throat. She had simply meant to chastise him a little, for ignoring her and the children; she hadn't intentionally wanted to _hurt_ him, or _shout_ at him… What had _she_ done now? Kori knew she could not stay angry at him for long, and now that the tide of fury had subsided, her eyes lost their fire and were restored to bright emerald orbs, shining with fresh tears. "Oh, Richard, I did not mean to—please, do not blame yourself—"

"How can I not?" His voice was shaking, and his body trembled, as if he was sobbing. "I tried to do the right thing for everyone… Batman told me that if I caught one more villain tonight, then one more person would be able to wake up happily and enjoy Christmas. Oh, Kori, tell me what I've done wrong! I wanted to _help_ everyone, but look at me—what have I achieved? Nothing. I've failed you, and the kids; I've failed Batman; I've failed my parents and my friends; I've failed the city… I've failed everyone! I'm a failure, that's what I am! I'm not a hero; heroes _save_ people, but I end up helping no one _and_ hurting the people I love the most. And now my kids—_our_ kids—will never know what it's like to have a father who cares for them, who loves them, who spends time with them… Kori…" he looked up, shame and regret filling his eyes as he reminisced his childhood and his parents' death. "I never told the people I loved the most how much I loved them while I still had the chance… and now it's happening again. I'm sorry…"

"Oh, Richard…" She fell into his arms, and they shared a tight embrace, seeking comfort in each other. At length, they let go. Kori cupped Richard's cheek with her hand. "It will not happen again, if you choose to do the right thing now," she told him softly.

Richard's fingers closed tightly around Kori's own, warm and secure. "I _want _to do the right thing, Kori. I have to make it up to you, and the kids… before it's too late. But I don't know what… or how…"

At his words, a radiant smile lit up Kori's tear-streaked but still beautiful face. "Oh… but I know…"

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A breath of wind stirred up a few strands of Bruce's hair. His eyelids fluttered gently, and he shifted in his sleep. Through half-open eyes, the young boy thought he saw—a figure moving between consciousness and the world of dreams—could it really be— 

"Daddy?" he murmured, still half-asleep. If this was a dream, it certainly was an unusual but pleasant one. In the morning, he would tell Mommy that he saw Daddy…

"No," the figure replied slowly, fingering his silvery-white beard. "I'm Santa Claus." Bruce's eyes opened wider in surprise. This certainly was a strange dream… if it was a dream at all. He blinked and rubbed away the sleep that weighed down his eyelids... it really _was_ Santa Claus! The friendly saint was wearing a bright red suit, trimmed with cottony white fur, exactly like the drawings in Bruce's storybooks. And he even had a large sack, bulging with presents for… Bruce.

"Santa!" The little boy squealed in childish delight, immediately sitting upright in bed.

Santa Claus put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhhh. Tell me, Bruce, have you been a good boy this year?"

Bruce nodded.

"And you want your Christmas present?"

Another eager nod.

"What do you want for Christmas, Bruce?"

A look of dismay crossed Bruce's now crestfallen face. He hurriedly wiped his eyes, hoping that the single pearly tear on his cheek went unseen by Santa's sharp blue eyes. "I… I want Mommy and Daddy and me and Mar'i to be happy," Bruce pronounced slowly, carefully wording the sentence, "Daddy doesn't _play_ with me and Mar'i anymore. He doesn't love us anymore."

Suddenly, and much to Bruce's surprise, Santa scooped up the young boy and held him close to his silvery beard. Bruce fidgeted, slightly flustered at Santa's sudden, strange course of action. Then, in one quick movement, Santa removed his feathery beard and red-and-white hat, to reveal…

Richard Grayson disguised in a Santa Claus costume.

"Daddy!"

Richard smiled and swung his son around in circles just like his own father used to do, before setting him down on the bed again, hugging him fiercely. "Daddy loves you, Bruce. Always and forever," he promised determinedly. Finally, Richard kissed the top of his son's head, and casually ruffled the mop of untidy, jet-black hair, so much like his own. After all, Bruce was his son. His and Kori's son, proof of his love for Kori—which he still had to prove to her… again.

"I love you too, Daddy… Merry Christmas," Bruce murmured sleepily, already half-asleep again. A combination of fatiguing excitement over the unexpected visitor and staying up past his usual bedtime had taken its toll on the little boy, who was drifting off to sleep on his father's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas, my son." Richard smiled and tenderly tucked his son into bed, making sure the bedcovers were carefully smoothed out. Then he kissed his son goodnight again and left the room noiselessly. As he left, a single sliver of golden light crept in through the crack at the bottom of the closed door and shone on the peacefully sleeping child, already lost in pleasant dreams of Santa Claus and flying reindeer.

* * *

Kori smiled in quiet amusement as she watched Richard remove the clumsy, heavily padded Santa Claus costume awkwardly and rather humorously. "You know," she mused softly, hiding a giggle with the back of her hand and watching him fold away the bulky costume in frustration, "You look so irresistibly _cute_ doing that." 

In one swift and practiced motion, Richard spun around and grabbed her hand, pulling her around and pressing her body against his. His lips found hers in an instant; his tongue navigated its way inside her mouth. Kori felt shivers of pure delight crawl up and down her spine as he pinned her against the wall, their lips locked together in a passionate, fervent kiss. She surrendered herself to Richard's heated, dominating display of affection; she had missed his adoring kisses, his tender touch… she had missed his love.

After a while, they broke apart, both breathless and panting. "Not as cute as _you_ always look, baby," Richard declared, pressing his forehead against hers. His eyes held her gaze firmly, and Kori found herself drowning in a swirling blue ocean of emotions. "Kori," Richard whispered in a shaky voice, "I never want you to doubt or, God forbid, _forget_ that I love you. I know I haven't been very… affectionate… recently. You know me, Kori, better than anyone else. You know how I get too absorbed in my work. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. I love you with all my life, Starfire… Kori… and I want you to know that no matter what, I will always continue to love you. Promise me you'll never forget or doubt that."

"I promise," she whispered in reply, her lips against his mouth. "And I am sorry that I doubted you…"

He kissed her again—a short but sweet kiss, filled with fiery passion. It was a kiss that held a promise, a kiss to make up for all the lost months of kisses, of love—he would somehow have to make it up to her, in the future. "_I'm_ sorry for being such a jerk. I love you, Kori. I love you so much… I always have and I always will."

Kori smiled at his avowal, a genuine smile of happiness that lit up her face like a ray of sunlight shining through a dispersing rain cloud. She let her fingers trail themselves up Richard's chest, his collarbone, his shoulder; her fingers entangled themselves in his sweat-soaked ebony hair, which she fingered lovingly. "I know… I love you too, Richard. Merry Christmas."

He gazed at her, eyes filled with love, and smiled back. "Merry Christmas, Kori."

* * *

**A/N- **It's almost Christmas!!! Wheeeeeee!!! (Yeah, I'm a little hyper—how could you tell?) Anyway, consider this fic a Christmas present from me to you, and... if you review, I'll consider _that_ a Christmas gift :) So, uh, review please! 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, everyone!

Love,

The Silver Phoenix


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